Choi Buk

SOUTH KOREA, North Jeolla, Muju; Joseon dynasty

Choi Buk was a painter who was skilled in landscape painting and was often referred to as Choi Landscape. Choi lived an unrestrained life and was a known alcoholic. There are said to be many instances in which he would create a drunken scene in public. In one incident, he blinded one of his own eyes when he was being temperamental after a nobleman bought one of his paintings. Later in life, he made a living by painting under his pen name, Hosaenggwan.
He often infused childish tones and poetic emotions into his landscapes, and fronted a style of landscape painting in Korea that contrasted with the Chinese style landscape paintings that prevailed at the time. In addition to landscapes, Choi also painted figures, flowers, plants, and insects. His representational work, Pyohunsa Temple, was painted in soft and elegant color tones with exquisite brushstrokes.